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If you’ve ever played “street-ball” and encountered an opponent who plays dirty, that could be an invitation for you to play dirty in return. So when the game gets dirty, you’re not supposed to whine, complain, or argue about the rules – you just accept it for what it is and stay competitive until someone wins. Whoever wins the game, wins respect! Simple as that! The team who loss can’t argue about the outcome if you decided to “reciprocate their style of play” because they decided to set the precedence and tone of the game. Consequently, “remember thatyour competitive approach may change the future rules of the game based on your confidence and courage!”

Therefore, in life, we have to ask ourselves, what type of games are we willing to play in order to achieve our personal or professional goals? Sometimes I ask myself as a woman and mother, why do I have to compete so much for what I desire or wish to see in the world? However, I continue to compete! Further, I ask why are there so many “organized obstacles” in life that are designed to keep us “all” from excelling! Even when we are trying to focus on our life’s purpose, there are some people whose life’s purpose is to create barriers for us! Even though we experience many challenges in life, we cannot forget what our former First Lady, Michele Obama, told us: “When they go low, we go high!”

Every day of our lives, we have options to go low or to go high; perhaps we may choose both options as we learn more about this competitive game of life. Despite life’s highs and lows, we must continue to have a winning spirit, be mentally tough and strategic about our lives – never being conquered by our circumstances or those who choose to compete against us. Believe it or not, we truly have the option to change the game and remain true to ourselves or allow the game to change us in terms of how we relate to one another. It depends on how you choose to grow!

Furthermore, I’ve learned in the political game or in the corporate competition, that it’s not always about what you know, it’s who you know; it’s not always about what you do, it’s about – for whom you’ve given a favor to. In spite of that, I hope this “game of life” will soon make a shift with people making more meaningful efforts to see the value in everyone – no matter who you know in a powerful position, what you’ve achieved or did not achieve, and finally what favor you’ve given someone “in order to receive respect or a chance for equal acknowledgement or opportunities”!

Now, of course, due to this often “rigged” system of success, you can not win by yourself so there are some collaborative concepts you must master with your team or even your “so-called” opponents. In retrospect, I’ve learned while competing in sports, to become a championship team, it’s helpful to be on the same accord regarding your core values which give you a unified bond. Additionally, your spirits have to be synchronized, your mindsets’ have to be aligned as if you all were telepathic, and the roles you play must be very clear in order to win! When I speak of winning, I’m not necessarily talking about beating your competition, but learning how to build up your team so each individual will step up their game including your opponents. Thus, intentionally giving your teammates and supporters credit for their efforts and allowing them to score in ways they’ve never imagined due to your leadership is authentic legacy building!

“I truly believe everyone should feel like they are winning when they are on your team or feel inspired just having the chance to compete with you!”

Now, not everyone is going to have your talent, strength, or your mentality so “having faith” is the core of a successful competition. Even when you believe some of your teammates may not be capable of helping the team win or able to perform on a higher level, it is your duty to believe in them and encourage them because when the game is on the line, “it may be only up to that person to lead the team to the final winning play or to win the final game based on your positive influence“. Actually, I know from experience that when you show others that you have faith in their performance, it has the potential to encourage them to make some bold moves in life! So my question for you is, “are you going to watch your teammates struggle or seek competitive ways for them to feel motivated to win?” Another question you can ask yourself is, “Did I do my best to help my teammates in a positive and uplifting way that did not serve my self-interest, but the interest of the team?” – whether your team is family-oriented, community-driven, or simply a professional collaboration.On the other hand, it’s inevitable for your teammates’ goals to change and they may choose to go in another direction, but the mere fact that as a leader you were able to assist them with a strong foundation in which they feel comfortable enough to become independent in their own life pursuits, is a great example of your “legacy’s work”.

Additionally, I remember growing up as a student-athlete, observing that if you were considered smart or athletic, worked hard, and played by a set of rules – you could possibly have a piece of success or feel like a winner through your achievements! Over time, it seemed that more opportunities were available to those who met the academic or athletic standards that our communities believed to be worth the investment, leaving some groups of talented people out of the competition. So those who were left out, either chose to live a life of defeat or had to create their own opportunities. Some chose to compete legally or illegally – maybe choosing to be on “special-interest” teams even if it compromised their personal morals and values – just wanting to be accepted as an achiever.

Hence, we often spend our entire lives trying to figure out what’s our true life’s purpose and what team we desire to be on. Then, we associate with different groups of people and organizations, seek many educational or employment opportunities, exploring various religious or belief systems, and it seems like we keep walking in circles. Afterward, returning to the core of what we simply want out of life – love, peace, respect, compassion, safety, fairness, and positive or authentic relationships! Contrary to those wonderful feelings we desire from life experiences, it’s necessary to experience dark moments alone or the dark side of life to determine where we truly want to be and who we will allow in our circle of influence. During those dark times, we are often disappointed in people who we thought were supposed to be loyal to us including family and friends. Therefore, it can truly be a tug of war both on your soul and spirit regarding relationships or future partnerships. Sometimes, experiencing certain challenges in life makes you want to go into isolation in order to determine who you will choose to team up with or who you will love from a distance.

“Honestly, watching some of these “game plays of life” from the sidelines, just makes you want to be a “free agent”, free from the drama, power struggles, competitiveness, judgment, prejudice, and hate.”

However, “we can not go through life avoiding interactions with all people” as we pursue some form of leadership – even if we do not agree with some people’s personality, belief systems, or their decisions. Thus, we must respect each others’ game and what it is here to teach us about cooperating and collaborating with one another. So we must assess ourselves when we are leading people and ask the following questions:

Is my competitiveness making others feel powerless or empowered?

Is my competitiveness making people become more productive or unguided?

Is my competitiveness making others feel not involved in or a part of the team’s progress?

Is my competitiveness making people feel I “honestly” support their success or is my competitiveness taking credit for their hard work – blocking or sabotaging their successes?

Is my competitiveness driven by humility – allowing people to see my imperfections as I strive for excellence or is my competitiveness humiliating others due to my insecurities or incompetencies?

Finally, is my competitiveness helping to create a more consciously collaborative world?

With all that have been said, I recommend everyone to “compete with purpose” and not just have a purpose to compete. There’s a big difference. Notably, if there is a unifying purpose behind your competitiveness, you will never lose and you will win with wisdom if you are open to learn from others and willing to develop! I’m sure we can all agree that at a certain point in our lives, as a competitor, we’ve gotten tired of playing the same games, receiving the same outcomes. Consequently, we find enough courage to integrate our true authentic selves with our leadership which includes our street sense, book sense, common sense, and spiritual sense – to not just play the game, but change the game for good – the good for all of humanity!

So from this moment envision the areas of your life you are going to work on and team up with others who will help you achieve! Please note, it may not be a family member or a friend that will get you to the finish line. More importantly, there is a lot of work you need to accomplish by yourself through planning and discipline! Then, while you are on your grind achieving one goal at a time, you will begin to attract people into your life that can meet you where you are and align you closer to your purpose! Sounds encouraging, right?

Therefore, I pray that all who are reading this message are inspired and feel empowered to make the progressive changes that are necessary to live a healthier and more fulfilling life! Please take care of yourselves, and continue to be a blessing to others through your prayers, thoughts, and actions! Don’t forget to seek some quiet time each day to process your thoughts and emotions in order to be productive and not counterproductive with the distractions around us. Last, but not least, I am holding you accountable to make a list of short-term and long-term goals while answering the question each week: “What am I going to do in order to change the game in my personal and professional life so I can feel liberated and at peace while helping others feel motivated to achieve their goals?!”

The author of this blog, Marian Serena Moore, is a former teacher/ F.B.L.A advisor and civil rights activist in education and employment. If you are interested in teaming up with her to achieve your personal or professional goals, email her at competewithpurpose@gmail.com.

With 7 years of experience teaching business and computer concepts to high school students, there were many challenges I was able to manage and grading miracles I was able to create with integrating technology in my learning lab. In fact, technology helped me to develop my former business students’ academic discipline and innovation with rigorous projects to assess their knowledge and skills. Further, I was able to provide timely as well as personalized feedback through grading software and online management systems! Reflecting back, there were many resources that helped change the grading game for me as a facilitator and consequently prepared my high school students for their college, careers, and life!! Thus, grades and meaningful feedback, if carried out effectively, can result in more career opportunities and impactful life lessons for our future leaders!

Since many people in the Baltimore region are discussing new grading policies and procedures, it motivated me to blog this month about education. After reading Superintendent Dallas Dance’s Op-ed: “What’s in a Grade?” and browsing through Baltimore County’s new grading manual, immediately I reflected on my own grading experiences as a teacher. So let me to take you on a 400-meter dash filled with questions, concerns, my own experience, and finally — passing the baton to you! Although the Olympics is officially over, my mind is still racing about how I can encourage Education Leaders to compete and grade with purpose, putting student’s needs in 1st place!!

“First 100 – How Can We Accelerate, Running the Grading Curve?”

The first thing that came to my mind about Baltimore County Public Schools’ grading initiative was: “Releasing this grading manual publicly in the beginning of the school year is probably giving teachers more anxiety and pressure to become more accurate and specific with their grading – the same anxiety a runner has when “taking his or her mark”.

Second, I thought of the potential burden that teachers may have if they don’t have the proper support or resources to provide their students with timely and meaningful feedback along with personalized lesson planning. Therefore my question is, ”Who is going to ensure that teachers are “set to go” and grade efficiently?”

Third, when teachers upload their grades online, we cannot forget how parent involvement could turn into cyberbullying via email regarding grades. Not all parents do this, but a furious few is more than enough! With that being said, what type of protection and intervention is available for teachers when parents and students respond aggressively about grades while they are transitioning to this new grading approach?

Fourth, how will Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) new grading system and report card layout impact high school students when colleges review their applications? Based on this new grading system, will students in the future experience culture shock when transitioning from school to college or work?

Finally, I know some educators are thinking, “Before unleashing this policy, perhaps the school system could have first provided them with:

a co-teacher in order to give proper feedback to each student,

an administrative assistant to answer incoming phone calls as well as emails from students and parents specifically regarding grades, which could be a potential distraction for teachers staying on track with outgoing calls to parents about some of their student’s disruptive behavior

a private counselor and a doctor on site to manage their blood pressure or mental health between classes

a class monitor to assist with tracking attendance, lateness, behavior, and team projects so that the 2nd portion of the report card could be filled out accurately, and

tech support available to help them to effectively and efficiently grade using online management systems.”

Yes, teachers are CEOs running a major business and they need additional personnel and partners to support the needs of their students, in addition to, their very own managerial duties! So it’s great that Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) recommends that departments work more collaboratively instead of teachers working in isolation! However, what about the one-person departments? Yes, there are teachers in secondary education who teach all grade levels! So, will “all teachers” really have the time to connect with their peers across the county and how will this grading initiative be executed in a timely fashion so that students will feel supported through this new grading system?

My concern is that if this grading strategy isn’t clear for students and teachers, it may cause some serious problems related to accuracy because let’s be honest, “grades have never been a 100% accurate reflection of students’ achievement”. This is because they have been distorted by bias, lack of resources, and constant education reform. Thus, in the midst of this “Race to the Top” education reform, the effort of BCPS is appreciated, but we must straighten out the “grading curves”!

Second 100 – Now We Are at the “Straight Away” – “Making the Transition & Finding Your Comfort Zone!”

After reading Baltimore County’s grading manual’s quote, “Conduct and skills are critical and belong on the report card, but they should not distort the academic grade. Separating the academic grade from the conduct grade holds students accountable for both.” – I agreed with this concept as a student and disagreed as a former athlete. I began to reflect on my sports background analyzing “team sports” in correlation to grading. For example, only a certain amount of players can be on the court or the field at a time. So let’s say that “playing time” in a competition is equivalent to a grade because most players look forward to scoring or receiving accolades when participating in a game or event. Generally, most teams have policies set up so that when athletes come to practice late, they have to run extra laps or do a certain amount of pushups. In addition, if players do not display positive conduct towards their teammates and coach, even the referee – the player would be penalized with a technical foul, loss of an offensive possession, or the loss of playing time. Yes, there are consequences for behavior and poor choices in sports. Inappropriate behaviors are challenged almost immediately in order for players to understand the importance of discipline and respect!

So do you think it’s totally fair in education to create chances for some children to half-way complete assignments or turn in their work late without a reasonable excuse? Is it fair for some students to have the possibility of receiving 50% if they completed 25% of their work or even receive the same grade as the student who was punctual and hardworking? Also, let’s keep it real – “What about students who are caught cheating? Will these students receive a 50% bailout in the future?” Now let’s think about how this grading system would impact the morale or the work ethic of the students who seriously prioritize their time in order to achieve success! Therefore, I believe there has to be an accountability system, especially for secondary schools to ensure they will meet college and career expectations. Additionally, I would like to point out that this learning approach with extended time to support student’s achievement discussed in the grading manual is perfect for elementary and middle schools so students would not be discouraged from trying harder and becoming more responsible for their learning outcomes. However, I believe by grade 7, the grading policy should change. If the grading process is consistent with academic discipline and learning support systems from pre-K to 7th grade, then 7th grade and beyond should be more tailored to prepare students for college, careers, or entrepreneurship demands!

See, I’ve learned that “grades” are like paychecks in education. I recall my former high school students trying to negotiate grades at the end of every quarter like salaries. The more I used online grading, the more frequently I was approached by my students. Sometimes I felt like it (online grading) interfered with them actually learning because most students focused on immediate results instead of enjoying the adventurous process of learning. Some students rushed through their work just to be finished before most of their classmates and others were practical enough to put in the necessary time for their final product – conscious of their professional development. Then, others did enough to get by and were cool with a capital “C”. Whatever the student chose to do, it showed when they had to present their final product to the class. As a result, my students and I learned that the truth will reveal itself at some point in the game, when their skills were tested with a performance assessment or with an impromptu quiz.

So I predict that some students are going to take advantage of this grading policy – not to necessarily have a second chance to truly learn a concept, but a second chance to cram in some work for a better grade. Depending on the student – content will be going into his or her short-term memory just for the grade, not for the knowledge. This is just my perspective from teaching high school students and observing how they reacted to grades and what they were willing to do or not do for grades, especially if they feel what you are teaching them is not relevant to their lives at that current moment. So how can we convince more students to be satisfied with the learning process or find relevance in the assignments they receive? Perhaps, pay them for their effort or not give them a grade at all?

Furthermore, in this grading manual, grades are “separate yet equal” in importance. Therefore, my question is, “How will teachers hold students accountable for their behavior or attitudes without deducting points from their final grade?” Perhaps, taking away privileges such as recess, but parents want their children to have more recess for health reasons so that may not be as effective. Maybe giving parents fines for their children’s intentional bad behavior or giving parents the option to observe their child in school from their smartphones to reduce conduct issues would be effective? 🙂 Imagine if we would follow the police department’s’ initiative, by putting body cameras on students or placing cameras in all classrooms to help teachers’ grade students behavior more accurately and report it more efficiently? Well, that may not be a great idea because this type of surveillance system may support the school-to-prison pipeline even further. Can you just visualize teachers along with the administration reviewing video after school because often it’s tough for teachers to write behavior reports in the heat of the moment while simultaneously managing class? Perhaps that is why grades should be impacted by behavior because teachers would have less issues during class if students knew it was going to impact their grade. Some parents would argue that they would not have a true representation of their child’s knowledge deducting points from their grades. Then, I would argue that allowing kids to turn in their work late is not a true representation of “being responsible” if you give them “full credit”. This is a gray area I think BCPS should reexamine in their grading manual because I think “extra credit” is still available to students if you are allowing students to find new ways to make up work to increase their grade.

We, also, need to equally consider how a student’s attendance and behavior impacts their classmates in terms of learning achievement, classroom procedures, and group work progress. Both attendance and behavior alone can impact grades from being equitable, accurate, specific, and timely. For example, during group work if there are some students who are being playful, how can grades be totally equitable? More importantly, there are students who are being bullied during class and have low achievement due to anxiety. Thus, grades may not be an accurate representation of those students’ learning abilities. So to report behavior separately does not tell the entire story of how behavior impacts not only the student’s grade who chose to misbehave, but the total class or group learning outcomes.

Not to mention, teachers who are not providing students with multiple teaching approaches or may not have all the resources to address students’ diverse needs and learning preferences. Consequently, a student may receive low grades because he or she is not engaged with how his or her teachers teach. Yes, I do believe that teachers alone are not effective in order for their students to achieve! It takes technology, experiential projects, and strong business partnerships to bring more relevance to academics! Ok, I know this race is a little wordy, but you must endure with me! Now let’s pick up the pace! We’re almost done!

2nd Curve – The True Test of Your Endurance at the 300 Meter Mark: “Reflecting on Why You Are Truly Running This Race!”

In retrospect, I was a little “old-school” with my grading in order to keep order in my class. Holding students accountable for their behavior or irresponsibility were factored into their final grade. It helped me manage my class based on professional standards, but some students were going to socialize and be a distraction regardless. However, what mattered most was how I structured my students’ learning experience. My lessons had to be extremely organized and creative, yet flexible enough to allow my students to guide me in the right direction. For example, after every class assignment, my students would work on enrichment activities such as using the internet as a research tool and experience real-world application projects in order for them to see how our content exists outside of the classroom. Notably, during each unit, we had team projects to promote social learning and collaboration! Project-based learning definitely impacted my students behavior and attitudes in a positive way! It can also increase attendance and lateness to class because students will actually look forward to the variety of experiences you provide them with and enjoy taking ownership of their learning with personalized projects.

Additionally, integrating technology as a quick way to execute formative assessments and provide immediate feedback accelerated my former students learning and changed their attitudes about how they wanted to improve their progress. When I would provide more formative assessments consistently, it created a chance for me to cover more material during the school year. Furthermore, I believe web management systems such as Edline, now acquired by Blackboard, can accelerate teaching and learning for teachers and students who need to improve their organizational skills, thus achieving more throughout the school year! In fact, using Edline, along with Easygrade Pro, allowed me to upload comments to assist students with achieving their learning goals with reminders and notes about how they could improve. Another excellent grading resource was using Google Docs which allowed me to coach students during class projects or writing assignments providing detailed feedback conveniently online.

Most critics say technology takes away from human contact, however, I was able to effectively communicate and motivate my students to complete their assignments by actively commenting in their Google documents or on their wiki workspaces – which was just as encouraging as human contact. Imagine a student riding the bus home receiving an email alert from their teacher after school giving them some feedback on a project. Do you think the student will feel supported and encouraged to work on their project for homework? In most cases, yes, based on my experience. Thus, technology can bring you closer to your students by becoming their virtual assistant!

Throughout my educational race, I’ve learned that the secret to success is simply providing multiple learning accommodations for my students in order for them to develop successfully, which is stated in BCPS’s grading manual through technology and teamwork! For example, over time, I changed my grading style – becoming more flexible with classwork, allowing students to complete assignments at home if they needed more time and I was more firm with projects in terms of deadlines to better prepare students for college expectations and career demands. Therefore, homework kind of phased out with it either being an opportunity to have more time to complete classwork at home, work on school projects in order for students to make my deadlines or take out time to study online sources, or take online practice assessments. (Look on your left under the Book Overview section for examples) Please note, providing online assessments for homework can save teachers time with grading and if students have any additional concerns, the teacher can address those needs during class because students’ progress can be tracked electronically through certain grading software.

Moreover, transitioning to online learning included a lot of experiments, trials, errors, and successes so I enjoy sharing my experiences with Education Leaders to help them make sound decisions for both teachers and students! In fact, about two years ago, I discussed this topic at a local board meeting in Baltimore County. I made predictions based on my teaching experience using online management systems between 2009 and 2013. Therefore, I humbly acknowledge that grading was a complex experience, but with access to technology I acquired a lot of wisdom and truly discovered something promising about education. That is why I am still running in this educational race! What about you?

“Come on now, stay with me! We’re almost done!”

Keep in mind that in sports, no one gives you much credit for how well you did in practice because what really counts is how you perform in the game or during a competition! So I suggest that drills and homework should not be uploaded as actual achievement grades, but participation grades because students are participating in their progress to master their learning. More importantly, as educators, we have to work and grade smarter – not so hard that you lose your strength at this point in the race! You’ve come too far and impacted too many lives to give up right now! Our students need your motivation as well as your unique gifts that you delight them with every day! So endure! Breathe! Push further! Stay encouraged! No one can do it like you! You are a champion! Your creativity and dedication matters!

Finally, reflecting back on the sports life, no one ever gave me extra points for practicing my game before or after practice. I had to motivate myself and want to become a better athlete which applies to student’s attitudes about their education, especially in secondary schools! Remember, homework is practice and if the teacher aligns his or her formative and summative assessments with homework assignments, students should not have to be a great test taker in order to pass the class, if students apply themselves the same way they do in their social lives or participating in their extra-curricular activities, such as sports!!

The Last 100 Meters – “The Final Stretch is When You Give It All You’ve Got!”

For the final 100 meters, I wanted to share some final thoughts for teachers who are on the verge of quitting this race! My overall goal as an education consultant and motivational coach is to assist with retaining teachers when they are considering other career options due to education reform or policy decisions. Trust me, there is hope!

Based on my experience with Baltimore County Public Schools, I would like to point out that I believe a globally competitive graduate must have sports discipline, but the way this current grading policy is set up, does not demonstrate the total appreciation and respect for the type of work ethic and accountability that I’ve experienced in sports in order to achieve great success! I agree with the grading initiative in terms of students being accountable for achieving, setting learning goals, and tracking their progress! Yes, I agree, we should support students’ emotional and social needs with intervention programs that build up their character, help them manage their stress, and conquer their learning obstacles, while preparing them for success!

Even as adults we have to join support groups or constantly review content that we may not have mastered for professional development. We may not get points, a promotion for it, or a pat on the back, but I’m sure we all have found out that becoming more competent and able to master our jobs can be just as rewarding. Therefore, we have to show our students to accept that they may not get the grade that they wanted, but it should not deter them from putting in more effort to achieve a life or career skill. In fact, people or organizations may not give you a second or third chance to get a better grade or rating, but you still have to work hard if you want to achieve more and take your talent to a higher level! So I’d rather students be prepared to understand the concept of work ethic and strategic planning early so they will not have to face unnecessary obstacles during college or throughout their careers.

More importantly, we have to ask ourselves, “What is Equity?” in terms of grading in this globally competitive world? Remember this summer, we had to ask ourselves about fairness during the Olympics in Rio after the Women’s 400-meter dash. Take a look!

If you look at the end of this race, Allyson Felix and another runner came over to Shanae Miller to help pick her up and congratulate her for winning the race. I wonder how those ladies truly felt about the outcome of that race after the hard work they put in preparing for four years to achieve the Olympic gold, silver, or bronze medal?

I can relate to this actual race reflecting on my career in education, however, sometimes your hard work may not matter to those who will have political power with or without you being on their team. So, Education Leaders, you must continue to play with pride and dignity, knowing you can and will make a difference in your students’ lives!

Here’s the baton:

Let me see what kind of answers or solutions you will provide for these open-ended questions related to equity in education:

1. Are we going to allow students to win by the rules or allow students to leap to the finish line while others chose to win the proper way – striding and striving for excellence?

2. Is the education race the same or equitable if everyone is not treated with the same expectations or respect?

3. Does equity create opportunities for students or education leaders to cheat in order to compete?

4. Will “equity” that everyone is striving for create “new achievement gaps” for students who were privileged by the traditional rules of education?

5. Are we making changes in grades because we do not want our students to experience failure or education leaders do not want to look like failures?

6. Essentially, how can we find that balance of power for all students to achieve and learn valuable lessons about respect, empathy, discipline, perseverance, and teamwork?

Finally, we have to be extremely careful when implementing grading policies such as this because lack of accountability is the reason why so many people are suffering in this world today personally and professionally. Think about how a grade or even your behavior has impacted your mental, emotional, social, or economic situation today. With that said, teachers along with our future workforce depend on our commitment as a community to enforce equity by applying ethical and moral reasoning to our instructional and political decisions!

Now, we’ve made it to the finish line! I appreciate your endurance and let’s continue to run this purposeful race together! #competewithpurpose and #gradewithpurpose!

Marian Moore is a former instructor from Baltimore County Public Schools and an aspiring consultant for Superintendents, school officials, and education supporters!

Happy National Poetry Month! Poetry has liberated so many people who have experienced oppression, depression, or those who have discovered their inner joy – celebrating life unconditionally through writing despite its challenges. Finding or seeking peace through poetry is a wonderful gift from God; it’s a true reflection of your heart – whether it’s been broken or in love. Poetry inspires people to creatively express themselves and live boldly! People identify with their authentic selves through poetry, spread wisdom through poetry, face fears through poetry, or connect with new communities through poetry. It literally can change the outcomes of your life experiences! You could win your future wife or husband with this language art, land a job with your jargon, win a settlement, or start a business with your lingo! Trust me because there is power in words! Poetry is the power of persuasion and it’s so amazing! We constantly hear it in our music or in the media. It’s ever flowing through our minds and travels through our conversations all the time – that’s why we laugh when talking because we have the ability to finish each other sentences poetically! It’s magic! It’s synchronicity! It’s therapy! What a beautiful gift to share – to uplift, to heal, and to be real! So I am celebrating the last day of National Poetry Month with a quick poem I wrote this morning. Please be inspired by love and spread your light all day today! Peace & Blessings to you!

My blog this month is dedicated to my father, Glenny “Duke” Moore, who ascended on Friday, February 5, 2016. He fought for his life all the way to the end and has passed the baton to many people who looked up to him as a father figure or friend. His life – the good, the bad, and the ugly inspire me to try to connect with everyone – despite our differences or our different circumstances because it’s the right thing to do.

Thank you, Daddy, for encouraging me to fight for my rights as a woman and mother. Your time, support, and listening ear really set me up for future success! Now that you are in the spiritual realm, I know that you are putting in a good word for me to the “Most High” to create new pathways for me to contribute more to society and live your legacy of love that you demonstrated to me and your grandson, Nigel Moore. I’m still trying to process you not being here physically to listen to my blogs or speeches before I publish or recite them. It was truly fulfilling watching your face light up with pride after I would share my writing with you. You genuinely enjoyed my evolution and my efforts to become an advocate for civil rights in education. You were my #1 supporter and I know every success I experience from this day forward was because you took out the time to just listen and talk to me about life! I am so grateful to have had you in my life! I love you, forever!

Your Super Star,

Pooh

Now, let’s get back to business as I refocus on my mission to coach and motivate whoever decided to read my message today!

This blog is also dedicated to Africans and African Americans, who are celebrating Black History Month. I encourage you to continue to believe in yourself even if some people treat you as if you are unworthy of true happiness, respect, or opportunities in life! More importantly, this blog is for all of the victors who have endured unfair adversities due to their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, income, or by simply using their freedom of speech and expression.

Therefore, I would like to share a sports analogy with you I entitled: “The Big Upset”.

This month, we are approaching a critical part of the high school and college basketball seasons when teams have to play with unity despite their individual differences. Now February is usually the turning point for a lot of basketball teams and this is the time when players collectively decide whether or not they want to be the champions of their region, state, or division. Also, by this time of the basketball season, teams have celebrated some wins and endured some losses! As players or spectators, we all know that the winning results during March Madness reflect the outcome of hard work, courage, & perseverance. As a former athlete, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what your season record is or how many star athletes you have on your team, “the championship title is not discriminatory”. The final title belongs to the individuals or team who are not complacent and have a strong desire to win for a greater purpose than themselves!

Now, of course, the fans and critics expect the team with the winning record or the team who have powerful and talented players to win the big game – just like money, power, connections, and prestige usually help people win political positions. But, in sports, most biased fans, would not expect the athletes on the underdog’s team as having the caliber or capacity to help win “the big game” or championship.

Moreover, even some team members only endorse their “star players” as the ones who could help win critical games during the regular season, overlooking players who often watch the game from the bench. So can someone who has been called a “practice player” or a “bench warmer”, compete on such an elite level? Furthermore, can the team who were titled “The Underdogs”, from a different division compete with the division who has the most resources, fans, and corporate sponsors? Of course, they, “The Underdogs” can! So when the “Big Upset” happens and anonymous athletes become (what seemed like) “an overnight success”, everyone who’s watching and playing the game discovers humbly that, “All you need to win is to believe in yourself and have a courageous heart”.

So, my readers, don’t lose the game of life believing only certain people are meant to be victorious. In fact, we can be so predictable with the negative attitudes we have about ourselves or the types of outcomes we create for our lives, that people actually invest big money into industries that support our sometimes defeated attitudes – like the prison, mental health, illegal drug, and medical industries. Thus, now is the time for us to explore economics and research the political science that runs this world! We have to collectively understand that, the “Big Upset” happens when political fans lose “big money” on the underdogs win or new winning attitudes!

With that said, “Never underestimate the power of the underdog” if you feel like one because the championship goes to the team who takes the most calculated risks and have the most heart! So please find the winner inside of you and make championship history! Over the next few decades, I want to hear about you or your children, during Black , Hispanic Heritage, or Women’s History Month! I want to see you and others collaborating to make World History just like our ancestors! Yes, “YOU” – because from this day forward, you are not giving up on yourself or the legacy you could create for generations to come!

In closing, I don’t know how many times I’ve heard my former high school basketball coach, Breezy Bishop say, “You’ve gotta have heart!” Who would have thought that such a common phrase that I often laughed at and imitated in high school could get me through such a complex political game situation in my personal and professional life. I just know from my experience with sports that when you come to a game wanting to win, you have to get in a competitive mental zone that no one can take you out of, “not even white supremacy”! I never would have thought I would be going “head to head” with white supremacy in the education system, but God will put you in game situations in life that will help your team to become believers again, achievers again, and winners again because freedom, respect, and opportunity belong to all of us! Not just them, but “US” too!

Happy Black History Month to everyone! Study History and Make History! Until next time, please check out my video collection from my local board of education meetings over the past three years. I am available to speak on many issues regarding education, instructional technology, economics, and policies related to equal opportunities for teachers, employees, and students! Take care and Power to the People!

In September of 2012, I met this businessman at a networking breakfast, but before I introduced myself to him, I heard him speak to an audience of local leaders. He was an African American man and was confidently delivering a message, a vision, and mission I could relate to. After teaching Business Education for about six years at that time, I was seeking new career opportunities and wanted to apply what I had learned to a broader audience. That was my purpose for being there. So when this African American man was speaking, I was eating my breakfast. Now I had my back turned away from him because I was a little shy and was building up my courage as I was eating my scrambled eggs. 🙂 So when I finally turned around, he looked at me with his eyes wide open as curtains open on Broadway and I stared at him screening me. This was a very awkward moment for me. It felt like we were the only two people in the room. So today, I wonder if he had seen our lives flash before his very eyes?

“Did he know that we were going to have to endure the longest spiritual war ever before uniting?

Did he realize that we were going to lose ourselves and gain new identities?

Did he understand that we were here on Earth to complete a powerful mission together for our ancestors?

Did he know that we were reflections of each other souls?

Did he know he had the capacity to touch my soul with his gentle gift of love?

Did he know he was going to bring out the best in me through my writing and music?

Did he know about my hidden talents?

Did he know that we used to dance among the stars before incarnating on Earth?

Did he know he would be my Poetic Justice and Love Jones within a blink of an eye?

Did he know I was going to test his faith, his religion, wicked wisdom, and courage?

Did he know at that very moment that I could be his life partner?

Did he know I would be the most loyal best friend he could have ever imagined?

Did he know I would have his back even if everyone around us hated the idea of us being together?

Did he realize our minds and energy would merge once our eyes locked?

Did he know we would be spiritually awakened yet living in a dream world?

Did he know our hearts and spirits could communicate telepathically?

Did he know we were the epitome of Black Magic?

Did he know we are here to heal the planet with our unconditional and mystical love?

Did he know we were married to each other in a past life? Did he remember every scene?

Did he know we ruled the world together in ancient times?

Did he know that the here and now is ancient times?

Did he know that he is King Solomon and I am Queen Makeda?

Did he know he was my Pharaoh and I was his spiritual guide?

Did he realize we were a power couple who built nations from the love we had for our people?

Did he know I was his Twin Soul Sister, his Other Half, Guardian Angel, and Sweet Goddess of Love?

Did he know he was my hero and my inspiration?

Did he know he is perfect for me and my only son, who is fit to be a King, like Menelik?

Did he know if we’ve gotten this far, that we could go even further with faith and pure love?

I know on that beautiful day in September, I did not know my life would change as I walked away from only having one conversation with this intriguing soul. I wonder if he could have envisioned what we had to endure from that day forth, would he have let me walk away?”

Then, I cut my eyes at the other business people in the room and looked at him urging him to snap out of it; On that day, an innocent yet deep rooted glance had broken me into many complex pieces and today on 11/11/15, I ask the question: Will This Mystery Man Actualize?

“To all of my earth angels who have experienced the mysteries of the Twin Soul or Twin Flame phenomenon, continue to walk in peace and continue to make your soul’s content with a forgiving and understanding love!”

In closing, I guess it doesn’t matter if “we” (me and my mystery man) both know these miraculous things about our soul’s love; what matters are the people reading this – if they truly believe in love. If more of us just believe in true soul love and desire others to experience it without judgment; if more people would become vulnerable and take the chance on true happy relationships – no matter the race, social status, or religious belief! Just think how many of us would be in a fulfilling relationship if it wasn’t for people’s race, social status, opinions, or religious beliefs? #BlackLoveMatters #SpiritualUnionsMatter #UniversalLoveMatters #TrueLoveDoesNotHate #ThisMayorMayNotBeaTrueStory #ItDependsonWhatYourHeartandSoulBelieve

If you are interested in learning more about Twinflames and Twinsoul unions, here are a few, I mean a lot of resources. Some of you may not believe in this phenomenon and some videos may resonate with you. Have fun exploring the soul love journey!

That’s a bold statement, but I am sticking to it! Because I’ve learned so much about me and I’m not afraid to stand by my future husband or my words. I’ve realized as a single woman, my future husband is not responsible for my happiness. I only can become the best me in order for him to be happy in our future marriage!

While I am single, I rather do the work before I play, then to play too fast and try to work on me after it’s too late. Now the work I speak of is not too hard, it just requires you to have an open mind and an understanding heart. For example, over the past three years, I’ve had to marry myself and discover my wealth. I had to date myself, question myself, lose myself, and find myself.

I had to fall in love with “all of me” – my imperfections, my insecurities, my passion, my purpose, my instability, my courage, my sensitivity, my negativity, and my positivity! Yes, I had to get all of “my”self together so I could be the “one” or the “whole person” my future husband’s heart deserves!

I had to learn and manipulate both my feminine and masculine energy – which are all of the emotions and ego trips that were ever flowing throughout me – seeking stability. Exploring both my tough and tender side trying to figure out when to be firm or practice humility. During challenging times, I had to find balance in every obstacle I had faced. I had to treat my adversities as learning opportunities, not allowing my soul to be misplaced. I believe a spouse cannot be happy with a woman who is not mentally or emotionally stable. She has to understand her inner wisdom and know that she is able – To be respected, protected, and loved!

So let me get to the point and tell you why, “My Future Husband” will be happily married …..

If he decides to be with me –

That’s exactly what he is getting – ME

Not the unsure me, uncomfortable me, unlovable me, or the unbearable me

He’s not getting a shameful single mother, but an example of how his children will be loved by this single woman, who is comfortable with her status!

On this blue full moon
I pray for a once in a lifetime phenomenon
A love that’s deeper than the sea
Wider than the cosmic galaxy
Brighter than the sun
A love that’s never done-
Spreading around because it wants to touch every one
The kind of love that makes you smile and stare into space
While sending telepathic messages to the one who holds that special place
May this moon be full of forgiveness and compassion
Letting go of the rhythm-less blues that held us back from dancing
I pray that this moon opens our arms, embracing pure love songs
Inspired by our human rights and sharing wisdom to our worldly wrongs
A cosmic love song that was written in the stars composed by your heart and my mind
Protected by the Universal Creator until the time is perfect and divine
Once in a blue moon we have a chance to get what we hope for
I just simply hope –

Yesterday I received a response from the Office of Civil Rights through the Department of Education about my legal case and I wanted to share with you the actual letter from the Team Investigator. I am not surprised from this response and the lack of support from the individuals that were involved with my case. This situation showed me how loyal political players are to a team or organization even when their teammates make decisions that are against their “own” personal belief system. In other words, when you are a part of a social group, religious group, fraternity, sorority, sports team, coalition – some people chose to be loyal just to be “a part of a whole” and give up their soul’s purpose to remain wealthy, prestigious, or popular in the public’s eye. At some point during my case, the decision-makers could have exercised their social responsibility to make this wrong – Right. However, due to my “courageous words”, “untimeliness” or “Black Pride”, my case had no relevance or a chance for justice. Overall, there are several arguments that outweigh being untimely in my case, but I will allow you to be the judge once you read the long awaited letter I received.

More importantly, I want to share with you what I’ve learned from this entire experience and my 35 years of living on this earth:

1. United we stand, divided we fall.

2. Some of us talk, laugh, and gossip about each other, more than we actually help each other. Sometimes we compete more than we actually collaborate with each other.

3. More African Americans need to be supportive of each other and work together on the issues that impact their communities.

4. Instead of helping the ratings of popular shows such as Scandal and Empire or sporting events such as March Madness and the NBA finals which are distracting you from what is really going on in the world, please actively and equally support a person who has been killed, mistreated, or retaliated against. We must avoid television more often and tune into our own lives.

5. I often frequent Baltimore County’s Board of Education meetings to speak on behalf of the African American community and my race is often underrepresented.

6. I understand as working parents it can be very challenging to attend certain political events, but your presence can truly make a difference in your child’s future and your future as well.

7. As an African American community, we should become more involved in politics because there is power in numbers. Check out the ratings for Scandal, Empire, March Madness, the Super Bowl, and the NBA Finals, then you will see how many corporations are supported by the Black community as we die, along with, being mistreated everyday. Check out those deadly and discriminatory statistics as well.

8. I’ve witnessed people of other social groups get exactly what they wanted or witnessed them receiving a fair chance for justice due to political involvement, access to money, and massive amounts of participation from their peers.

9. We judge each other too much and fear judging those who strategically plan our lives and life outcomes.

10. African Americans, along with other races, should seek to learn and study the law as a community in order to defend themselves for being mistreated or misled. Knowledge is power! Ase’!

11. African Americans should come together as a community and analyze school budgets and state budgets whether you are working or not because it impacts your life either way.

12. Whether you are working or unemployed, your thoughts and views matter and could possibly change the hearts of others, creating a more compassionate agenda in politics.

13. Some of us give up too easily! Don’t lose your vision or your hope!

14. African Americans should continue to team up by creating opportunities to support their children and families with financial literacy programs, career opportunities, and entrepreneurship training. Change the financial and employment statistics for our community by seeking resources both online and in the community!

15. African Americans should have more moral and legal assistance available to them in school and at the workplace to assist them with their internal grievance cases.

16. A Cultural Sensitivity and Emotional Intelligence class should be a High School graduation requirement.

17. When African American leaders try to help other African Americans, it’s called favoritism; when a certain racial group help its race, it’s called an equal opportunity. We need to define equal opportunity and match it with affirmative action.

18. People in power will retaliate against you if you speak out about injustice regarding their social group and will use their power against you while demonstrating a positive image to the public’s eye.

19. People in power will take the truth you speak personally and play the role of God in your life if you allow them to, but remember we all are Gods and Goddesses, the original image of God. We are Creators!

20. Some leaders get overly comfortable in their positions and think they can get away with retaliation and mistreating others, but this behavior will not be tolerated if enough people stand up against it! We have to organize and strategize to change the status quo!

21. We have prejudice people who are working with our children and working beside us everyday. Therefore, we have to pray that they will change their hearts because one day their children will need help too; one day they will need help. Pray, but be proactive with your legal matters.

22. We have to build each other up because there are too many people who will not give us the tools for success due to racism, classism, sexism, and corporate greed.

23. Why did I think the education system that has been discriminatory towards African American teachers and other races was going to respect my hard work as a teacher?

28. Should I believe that female leaders would support a mother or woman on these types of complex issues no matter their race or religion? Will a woman of another race fight for my civil rights to the point of losing her identity because she connects with my heart and knows she would not have been accepted totally for the way she actually looked on the outside?

29. Are women powerless, disrespected, overworked, or too vindictive in corporate America? Maybe each area I acknowledged is relevant and that is why we cannot progress as corporate women with total satisfaction.

30. Were female leaders influenced by male leaders in order to treat my case as an untimely case or did my team leader arbitrarily make the decision herself because I was standing up for myself firmly?

31. Why did I believe that justice would be served because everyday an African American is killed or spirit is killed due to classism and racism without justice being on their side unless the national media is involved? Sometimes, the media’s attention doesn’t help the dire matters we are facing as a nation.

32. African American families united is the biggest threat to White Supremacy and through this experience I’ve witnessed how some white people do not want black people to help and love one another. We see it every day – our families under extreme stress and living in unfair conditions causing us to divide because individually we have prejudice or different belief systems.

33. We are blaming each other for the hurt that White Supremacy or the Elite has caused us to experience through organized religion, politics, monetary policies, media channels, and education. Stop blaming each other and continue to love and support your family despite your differences!

34. White Supremacy was designed to make African Americans and poor people not BELIEVE anymore or to think that they do not deserve freedom or opportunities. White Supremacy continues to make us feel inferior by using laws against us in order to lower our self-esteem enough to believe that individuals with fancy titles are superior to us.

35. We cannot be equal, if the law or policy constantly divides us as a people. Some people believe poor and being privileged to receive an equal opportunity just don’t mix, but I know if our decision makers did mix the two together, our economy would be a lot stronger and our communities would look like a portrait of progress. I truly believe that politics should empower people, not make them feel unaccomplished or stagnated!

Although on this legal document, it appears that I did not experience racism, discrimination, or my son did not experience retaliation, we absolutely did! I have the proof and some of you have witnessed the evidence. The Office of Civil Rights is supposed to support African Americans and underrepresented groups, but through my case, you can see that clearly this did not happen. It appears that I did not do my job in a timely and a respectful fashion. So please let my lesson, be your lesson and make sure you are not on “CP Time” when submitting your documents. Also, please do not act “too black” or be “too much of an intellectual” because you will not receive justice unless you take your case to private court. As we all know, sometimes through the court system – justice is not a guarantee.

Lastly, this is just the beginning of my career in civil rights and my obligation is to help those who can’t politically help themselves. I believe that when one door closes, another opens and I know there will be some people who are going to support me with my efforts to represent African American children within the school system and African American adults in the workplace. Thank you for your support and please become more active in changing your family lifestyles and community!

Here is my closing prayer for myself and you:

Dear Mother-Father God,

I will not allow the negative events or people’s negative thoughts to interfere with my spirit today. Today is a new day and it has a new purpose. I will renew my mind, heart, and spirit. I will be in the present. I will not escape what agenda you have brought to me today, but try to use my time wisely and purposefully. I will share and use my gifts today with the intent to impact lives and uplift spirits. I will be fair. I will try to be patient and understanding. I will use team approaches to elevate the consciousness of people around me. I will make some decisions that people may not like, but for the betterment of our future. I cannot waste time being fearful by procrastinating or not speaking up when I am being mistreated. I deserve better, we deserve better as a human race! My innovative thoughts and courageous decisions will be for the advancement of this country. I cannot allow the day-to-day challenging events hinder me from my overall mission. I cannot allow the unreasonable decisions that people around me make disrupt the bigger vision I have for the work I have committed my life to. I will not allow the past to affect my present or future unless I am taking the time to improve upon an area I’ve neglected. My personal and professional growth is my priority. I must embrace my growing pains because it is a part of my achievement. I am grateful for all people and events in my life; for it is what allows me to see the world differently. Every event is controlled by Divine timing and I have to allow nature to take its course in certain areas of my life. When the time is right, we can all rejoice for the blessings that will be poured into and out from our lives by acting on our faith! Together we will win and when we stand in solidarity, we are world champions! Remember that believing in your worth is defeating your doubts! Do not stop believing! Faith is why we are all in this race! The finish line of an accomplishment may be closer than we realize, although there are many more milestones to achieve! We humbly have our arms open to the opportunities that the Divine Mother/Father God will present to us. We will receive our blessings and opportunities with humility and gratitude; Despite the hate and confusion around us, we should continue to love and forgive! We should continue to love because love will love us back if we open our hearts! I pray that each and everyone is encouraged by my words! I hope your souls are touched because we have a lot of work to do! Please don’t give up! This world needs you! Amen to the Creator and to my ancestors who give me courage, passion, and new purpose each and every day!

Graduation time erupts a slew of emotions from places in your body you did not even know existed. Your cheeks may swell up and turn red, your fingers may tingle, and your heart might just palpitate with panic. It may feel like a tornado is in your stomach, then your legs might shake helplessly, and you may literally heat up like a volcano. I know that was dramatic, but you know what I mean. Some of you will really feel this before you walk across the stage.

Furthermore, I recall sitting at many graduations – whether it was mine, a relative, or former students – fighting my sentimental side. I remember going through a metamorphosis – trying to hold back my tears of pride, fear, relief, confusion, and happiness wrapped up into what ended up being an extremely ugly cry.

Now, we cannot forget the infamous moments at graduation when you hear proud voices in the audience, saying: “Yeah, that’s my Baby!” Next, you may hear a sea of whispers with reactions such as, “Pause – wait a minute, look at those pumps! I hope she doesn’t fall in those stilts and look at him with those celebrity shades on – I thought he was getting a diploma, not a Grammy. LOL. Then, you may hear random voices in the crowd including students and teachers gossiping, ”You know he should not have been the valedictorian or they just passed her because the principal was tired of her frequent visits to the office.” Furthermore, the helpless teachers and principals are replying in their anxious minds, Don’t blame it on me, blame it on the alcohol from Happy Hour, I mean the “No Child Left Behind Act”. Lastly, parents are sitting in the audience wondering, “Why didn’t my child get an award? I worked hard doing those projects! I’m joining the PTA next year! I am tired of the educational politics!”

Ok, back to my graduation speech – Accomplishing a task that has a plethora of personal stories that have taken you through phases of defeat and victories which included mismanaging and maximizing your time, good and bad relationships, late nights and early mornings; in sickness and in health, laughter and anger, finding strength during times of weakness; teaming up with people when you needed leaders to motivate you along the way; not to mention, the after class discussions, negotiating grade policies with teachers hoping for some compassion when you know you did not deserve it; Finally, at the end of the year, you want to become spiritual and say prayers like, God please touch this teacher’s heart. I promise I will go to Sunday School with my mother next week.” I could go on and on with the ups and downs of senior year. I’ve witnessed many of these predictable moments from my high school teaching experience!

One more reflection for students in particular…do you remember in the beginning of the school year setting goals to have straight A’s and then at the end of the first quarter, you said, “She could had at least given me a B.” Second quarter, you promise yourself that you are going to change your life around and become more organized. Unexpectedly you develop this nonchalant attitude by the third quarter saying, “Well, I am just going to “C” my way out of this!” Finally fourth quarter, you are in the counselor’s office, asking him or her, “Isn’t a D passing? or “What if I fail the final, then what’s going to be my final grade?” Next, you find out you’re not walking across the stage because you have obligations. Your response is: “Seriously? It’s not my fault my school was too cheap to purchase an eBook.” Now it’s the two week count down and you just need to find those dusty textbooks. You are so stressed out and you finally say, “Whatever, let me just pay these fines so I can go to prom and ” turn up” at graduation. ”By the way, I do not like the phrase, “Turn up”; just trying to fit in with some of my readers. Love you! Anyway, the stories can go on forever and I hope you finally can laugh about it! This graduation season, you can sigh with relief because you have achieved a monumental goal and you are on the path towards making many more achievements. So congratulations to everyone who made it through a challenging and rewarding school year! I hope you will experience fulfillment during your next endeavor! I salute the Class of 2015!

In closing, here is an excerpt from the first draft of my eBook, “Can I Inspire You With My Imagination?”. I guess I will role play as Superintendent or a political figure. This will be my keynote speech for a high school graduation. Please read below:

“Greatness can be defined in many ways because we all think and view life differently. However, I can stand tall today and humbly acknowledge that “I AM GREAT”. Why? Because my GOD tells me every day that I am great! Even when a person looks, listen, deliberately laughs at me, and judges me negatively or treat me as if I am insignificant, I can stand before you and say only my God can judge me. Also, I can be meek and forgive my doubters because they do not understand my greatness; but my final prayer is for those who perceive me in a negative way to be blessed with wisdom and understanding so that they can acknowledge me and others for our unique greatness.

I, also, can stand before you and accept that I am a winner Why? Because my Higher Power told me that when you complete a task, an annual project, or even a day’s work you are a winner whether you are in the front or in the back of this race called life. You can stumble, you can fall, or even crawl to the finish line, but you are still considered a winner. In fact, this year may not have been your best race, but you are still a winner! You do not have to win an award such as the Teacher of the Year, Employee of the Month, or Student of the Week in order to believe in the greatness in which you possess, but someone has to be chosen to be recognized.

So maybe you could recognize yourself instead. What is it that you possess that no one else can take away because you are wonderfully and uniquely made? Reflect and become aware of the talents, skills, and hobbies you have or pay attention to what others have acknowledged about you. Then, begin strategizing on how you can develop and market your skills, talents, and hobbies, which one day can become your dream career or even a successful business. So now that I’ve shifted your mind on what is so unique about you, how do you feel right now envisioning about how you can make your passion pay by being in tune with what brings you joy or makes you feel fulfilled?

Now I want to again focus on the word, “greatness”. Something we all have, yet in a traditional education system, some people just do not meet the standard. Well, how is that so? When you measure my greatness to your greatness, I am not good enough? Even when I produce results, I am not good enough because of this standard or barrier that the traditional education system has created. For decades education’s traditional standards are based on content competency only, which means if I am not competent in a certain content area or if I do not comprehend how you deliver information to me, then I may be called a failure.

It’s so unfortunate that these traditional standards have impacted lives of students – determining their successes and failures in life, directing their college and career paths based on test scores and even influencing their future socio-economic status. With this type of linear education infrastructure, some students and teachers are kind of confused about the direction they want to take. There is an imbalance between what they are currently doing in the classroom or professionally and what they really want to do with a passion. However, if properly supported by your parents, teachers, or leaders, your true existence will be clear and inspired with great purpose!”

Times like this with wars and protests going on in our streets make me think about the importance of family. The black family has endured so much socially and economically in our country. It is obvious that white supremacy and elite social groups do not want us to love each other the way we naturally love each other. In fact these corporate leaders and bankers have been strategically plotting ways to divide our life stories into Chapter 7, 11, and 13; allowing big businesses’ to be corrupt and causing individuals’ to become bankrupt. On the other hand, some people in power literally pay us to be poor and are entertained by our ignorance; some in the past even created education, monetary, legal, and medical policies to displace the royal black race. Is it our unique DNA code that causes you to experiment on us in such a sadistic and fanatical way?

Unfortunately, there are savvy and strategic political individuals capitalizing on the black community being mentally ill, physically in bondage, and emotionally distraught to support what I like to define as Evil Economics!! Therefore, the root of this evil economy causes our black children to become behind in education, populate prisons, or become substance abusers due to lack of equal opportunity and fair treatment. Yes, our “free” country even exchange our lucrative black communities for stock, bidding on corporate performance and penitentiary profits while black people’s self- and net worth are devalued. This political incorrect system is so mentally sick and the therapy for all of this hate is simply LOVE.

Moreover, we request publicly for leaders to love and respect us but some do not want to give up their ruling power; but why not surrender to LOVE? Why should life relationships be based on power struggles and political parties? It is now the time to let go of the conditional laws and let the natural laws rule! I know in my heart that Mother Nature would not stand for this chaos and the Universal Laws would not fall for this order of business! So now is the time for honesty, humility, and unity; not cover ups, ego trips, and brutality.

I know right now my people are tired and some of them may die for justice in the next few days or even the next few weeks. However, I don’t wish that this type of violence would happen, but my city is in rage and they are going to fight back fearlessly. My brothers and sisters in Baltimore are serious! Some Baltimoreans will control their emotions and others will speak the truth uncut and raw, but it’s all coming from the heart as well as out of frustration! The tolerance for some black people are extremely low so if they are disrespected, the protests may not be so peaceful and there will be a war. It’s just how nature works when you do not nourish its people with LOVE.

Personally, I know that feeling when injustice hits home. I was willing to die for my cause because I wanted a better life for me and my son along with my community. When you are in the heat of the moment, you just don’t care what people think or what important titles they have; you just want JUSTICE & RESPECT! So I sincerely pray that people will be careful with their children during the protest but I know some black people and other races are going to sacrifice their lives intentionally and unintentionally for the sake of JUSTICE. Furthermore, I have this gut feeling that my city is going to be set up by intruders and some people may travel here to exacerbate the current situation. I hope that I am wrong, but just observing the news and online videos, the feelings of rage and passion are so intense out there right now. I am sorry to say even innocent children may experience some brutality as a result of agitators interfering in our protests. All I can do is pray for peace and love for my community and our nation after centuries of this greedy generational war attack on the royal black family. We definitely need an overflow and outpouring of love to lift us all up!

So I urge you to please be safe and wise out there! It’s an eerie yet courageous smell in the air. Also, don’t feel guilty or allow people to make you feel guilty if you decide not to protest. It may not be your place to do so. However, if you are not out there marching for Freddie Gray, as a black community we have to remember to take care of ourselves and our children better. We all know that a lot of the illegal and violent activities in our city is because some of us (mothers, fathers, aunts, cousins, friends, neighbors, leaders) are not involved enough in the personal and professional development of our children We, also, know it truly takes a village to help raise and guide our children! Even parents need guidance! Often, some mothers are chasing love or other addictions instead of proactively being a supportive mother; some fathers are chasing love and other addictions instead of allowing his children to experience what it feels like to have an active father in their lives. Other parents are interested in their children becoming professional athletes or becoming entertainers for the world to see; while secret societies are behind the scenes afflicting our nation with religious wars, mind control programs, false statistics of progression, pollution, genetically modified foods, poverty, homelessness, mass incarceration, inequities in education, and digital destruction. This is why we must LOVE and EDUCATE ourselves and children more energetically!

The least and the most we can do is “wake up”! Try to HEAL and LOVE ourselves first! Next, we should not blame our painful pasts as a valid reason not to build loving relationships; nor blame our lack of education as a reason for not manifesting our dreams and sharing our wisdom with the world! We are so brilliant and RIGHTEOUS, Black Nation! We are mathematicians, scientists, philosophers, master teachers, architects, cooks, artists, writers, producers, directors, historians, entertainers, and entrepreneurs!

So while others choose to protests, some of us can help design the picket signs and flyers, write inspiring speeches, organize fund raisers, develop a strategic plan, teach civil literacy, or simply spend quality time with our children – our future leaders! Apply your talents and make a difference! You could even create art or make music in the name of FREEDOM and LOVE! We must not waste another day in sorrow, but build a lasting legacy for tomorrow!

Make sure you refuse to walk around sleeping unconscious with the enemy, but become conscious of the mystical events happening around you leading your spirit to a deeper meaning about life and your soul’s purpose. So together let’s SEEK and FIND out ways we can help change the signs of the time allowing nature to freely take its course. Allow Mother Nature to divinely intervene in order to rapture the pain, the fear, the hurt, bondage, guilt, and defeat we have experienced through family ties or our family’s lies. Allow the rapture of love to take over!

Remember, that no matter how much racism and capitalism try to break our family’s apart, divine love will remain in our hearts! To the spiritual leaders of this Godly race, please be still and listen to your intuition. Thus, it is written in the heart of Africa that we have an inheritance and a mission to claim! We will have more African and African American world leaders, some of the poor will become wealthy and the powerless will become powerful! We will create RIGHTEOUS laws treating everyone with LOVE and FAIRNESS! When we decide to ascend as a black nation, the way we view life will not be the same. We will reconnect and return to our ancestral cultural traditions. We will experience miracles of peace, but there are some negative habits and thought patterns we must release! So allow the rapture of love to guide your spirit! Embrace the new, natural, divine, and unifying world order! Enjoy the wealth of yourself and create heaven on earth! Be illuminated and be blessed with spiritual enlightenment! Be encouraged to study our ancient mysteries and make history! Ase’!